The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) conducted a joint maritime exercise in Manila Bay on Friday, coinciding with a five-day port visit by a Vietnamese vessel.
The exercise included search and rescue operations, fire and explosion prevention training, and a passing exercise, all aimed at enhancing the interoperability and operational readiness of the two coast guards. These activities underscore their roles as active member states of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF).
Following a welcome ceremony on Monday, VCG Region 2 Vice Commander Colonel Hoang Quoc Dat paid a courtesy call on PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan. They discussed shared goals and potential future partnerships. The VCG delegation also toured the National Maritime Center and the BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702), and participated in friendly sports activities with their Philippine counterparts.
The Vietnamese Defense Ministry highlighted the visit of the VCG ship CSB 8002 as having “profound political significance,” promoting comprehensive cooperation and enhancing law enforcement capabilities at sea. This visit is seen as a contribution to maintaining peace, stability, security, and safety in the region.
In January 2024, the Philippine and Vietnamese Coast Guards signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint Coast Guard committee and a hotline communication mechanism. This initiative further solidifies their commitment to cooperation.
In recent developments, Vietnam filed a claim with the United Nations in July for an extended continental shelf beyond the current 200 nautical miles in the South China Sea, following a similar claim by the Philippines in June. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expressed its readiness to engage Vietnam in discussions to achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues, in accordance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“We acknowledge Vietnam’s right, as a coastal State like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured, as provided for under UNCLOS,” the DFA stated.